Commercial truck sales up again in May

Truck upfitters had a few more trucks to work on last month. Retail truck sales continued to edge higher in May, according to figures compiled by WardsAuto Group.

Truck dealers sold 56,045 Class 3-5 trucks during the month, up 4% from May 2013. The increase primarily was the result of strong sales in Class 3 and Class 4 models. Class 3 trucks were up 8% for the month, and Class 4 sales jumped 19%. With Class 3 now the largest segment in the commercial truck market, an 8% increase for the month was enough to offset declines of 20% and 21% in Class 5 and Class 6 trucks, respectively. Class 8 trucks, the second-largest truck class, edged up 1% in May.

For the first five months of 2014, truck dealers sold 253,113 trucks with GVW ratings in excess of 10,000 pounds. Class 4 trucks posted the strongest increase--up 25%, but double-digit increases of 10%-15% were the norm.

Light duty trucks also performed well in May. Class 1 trucks (GVW ratings of 6,000 pounds or less) were up 16% when compared with May 2013, and Class 2 trucks (6,001-10,000 pounds GVWR) were 10% higher.

Through the first five months of 2014, dealers sold 3,650,253 trucks (Classes 1-8), up 10% from the corresponding period of 2013.